PET identifies cell mutations in NSCLC patients

April 4, 2017

With the help of FDG-PET and an advanced image analysis technique known as radiomics, researchers have identified genetic cell mutations that can cause non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published in the April issue of TheJournal of Nuclear Medicine.

This proof-of-concept study could help develop an imaging biomarker to identify the presence of certain mutations using FDG-PET scans as an adjunct to molecular testing, leading to the most appropriate treatment plan for NSCLC patients, said lead author Stephen Yip, PhD, from Harvard Medical School in a statement from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).